Negi is hundred-and-one-years old and was 35 when the independent India went to polls for the first time. His wrinkled forehead and hollow cheeks may show signs of aging, but his enthusiasm to participate in yet another democratic exercise in his home state remains unsullied.

Negi says that he speaks on the basis of his health at this very moment. "You never know what might happen tomorrow," he says, adding, "sometimes even I don't know if I will see another day." Negi appeals to everyone, especially the youth, to come out and vote in large numbers.

Dhumal is a senior party leader and a two-time chief minister of the hill state. If the state votes in favour of anti-incumbency for a sixth straight time, as is widely expected, Dhumal would be on his way to clinching a third term as chief minister.

Dhumal was earlier chief minister from 2007 to 2013 before being deposed by Virbhadra Singh.

Predictions about election results by astrologers, tarot readers and others in media when there is a ban on broadcasting exit polls are a violation of law, the Election Commission said

The EC's advisory asked the media, both electronic and print, to "refrain" from airing and publishing such programmes in future elections during the prohibited period to ensure free, fair and transparent polls.

As many as 7,525 polling booths have been set up in the state and 37,605 polling personnel have been deputed for poll duty.

Web-casting would be used in 2,307 polling stations in the state for live monitoring of polling activities in the state by Election Commission of India and polling would be held from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, the Chief Election Officer said.

On one side is the Congress' sitting chief minister Virbhadra Singh, while on the other hand is BJP's old warhorse Prem Kumar Dhumal in the fray. The battle for the hill state is one of the rare examples when the BJP has put its stake on a clear candidate in the two-horse race.

Dhumal, a two-term chief minister, will seek to thwart Singh's record seventh shot at power. Singh, 83, the tallest Congress leader in the state, is
facing graft cases and is locked in a bitter feud with state Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu whose ouster he sought but failed to ensure ahead of the elections. The old Congress warhorse also has to contend with the possible anti-incumbency.

Several reports of malfunctioning of EVMs, VVPATs; Himachal first state to use paper trail machines

Reports of fault in VVPAT machines were received in Sirmaur district while polling started late by 15-20 minutes in some polling booths, PTI reported. Journalist Raghavendra Rao tweeted that 58 EVMs and 102 VVPATs had to be replaced during actual polling in the state. He said that the maximum number of technical snags were reported from in Una district, followed by Mandi, Kangra, Solan and Shimla regions.

A total of 50.25 lakh electorate, including 19 lakh women and 14 transgenders, will decide the fate of the candidates.

The Hikkim polling station in Lahaul-Spiti district, the country's highest polling booth at 14,567 ft, has 194 voters. The minimum number of voters - six - are at Kaa village in Kinnaur district. The polling will continue till 5 pm.

16:03 (IST)

Women voters turn out in strength

15:36 (IST)

Did you know, over 1,000 Tibetans are eligible to cast their votes in Himachal?

Tibetan refugees in India cannot apply for government jobs and routinely face difficulties. They don't get land lease documents, and are neither eligible for the government’s developmental schemes. However, the rules do allow all Tibetans born in India during 1950-1987 to get voting rights. Around 1,000 Tibetan voters are registered in Dharamsala region alone, and with the highest number of candidates in the fray, this small pocket of voters can easily play a decisive role in the tough contest.

15:28 (IST)

This is what the outgoing House looked like

15:03 (IST)

Tibetans in Dharamsala divided over voting in Assembly poll

Tibetans in Dharamsala, living in exile for long in the second capital of Himachal Pradesh, are divided over securing voting rights in India.

Some of the Tibetans feel that exercising their vote in India could dilute their struggle for freedom while others say that the Tibet movement is in their hearts and voting can't deter them from their struggle.

Although Tibetan voters are around 1,000 in Dharamsala, contestants in the fray for the November 9 Assembly polls cannot ignore this small segment as the presence of some powerful candidates has made the contest tight.

Dharamsala has the largest number of candidates in the fray. Twelve candidates are contesting from the key constituency while the main candidates are Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma of the Congress and former minister Kishan Kapoor of the BJP.

14:54 (IST)

Congress' Vidya Stokes could have been the oldest candidate in the fray

Stokes, 89, would have been the oldest contestant if she had remained in the electoral fray. However, the Election Commission had rejected her nomination papers, citing discrepancy in documents. An eight time legislator, and Himachal Pradesh's Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Stokes represented Theog constituency in the outgoing House.

Negi is hundred-and-one-years old and was 35 when the independent India went to polls for the first time. His wrinkled forehead and hollow cheeks may show signs of aging, but his enthusiasm to participate in yet another democratic exercise in his home state remains unsullied.

Negi says that he speaks on the basis of his health at this very moment. "You never know what might happen tomorrow," he says, adding, "sometimes even I don't know if I will see another day." Negi appeals to everyone, especially the youth, to come out and vote in large numbers.

Demonetisation, or Rs 1500, may cost BJP at least this one vote in Himachal

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Demonetisation may cost the BJP at least this one vote in Himachal Pradesh. Staying in the Great Himalayan National Park alone, octogenarian Chatri Devi is determined to vote against demonetisation as her three banknotes are no good. Her grudge is that could not replace her three old banknotes of Rs 500 each after last year's denomination. "She is really upset with the BJP," her grandson Gumat Ram told IANS.

She showed three banknotes of Rs 500 each, which she couldn't change as the government didn't extend the deadline for exchanging demonetised currency notes beyond 30 December last year.

Chatri Devi, 83, lives all alone in the Unesco-tagged Great Himalayan National Park, one of the richest biodiversity sites in the western Himalayas, in the picturesque Kullu Valley. Park authorities say she is the only person living in the park that is spread over 754 sq km.

13:53 (IST)

101-year-old Gauri Devi casts her vote in Kullu

The Indian Express . ">

13:24 (IST)

Kinnaur records its highest ever voting percentage

By 12 pm, Kinnaur district recorded its highest ever voting percentage of 35 percent, reported The Indian Express.

13:19 (IST)

Himachal votes for a new Assembly

Voting is underway in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh where the BJP, which focused on corruption during its campaign, is seeking to dislodge the Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government while deflecting attacks by rivals on demonetisation and GST.

A total of 337 candidates, including 60 sitting MLAs, are contesting for power over the 68-member legislative assembly of Himachal Pradesh, one of the very few states under Congress control.

The Himachal Pradesh results along with that of the BJP-ruled Gujarat will be a bellwether of Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity. - PTI

A look at how political parties fared in Himachal Pradesh Election, 2012

11:04 (IST)

Shimla records 16 percent polling till 10 am

11:02 (IST)

Narendra Modi urges Himachal to vote in record numbers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of Himachal Pradesh to come out and vote in "record numbers" for the assembly election underway in the state.

10:56 (IST)

Prem Kumar Dhumal after casting his vote

10:54 (IST)

13.77 percent polling recorded till 10 am in Himachal Pradesh

10:41 (IST)

Virbhadra Singh, PK Dhuman shifted their constituencies

Both Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Dhumal have shifted their constituencies and are contesting from Arki and Sujanpur.

10:29 (IST)

Virbhadra Singh says the days to come will see new breakthrough in development

The indelible ink is the mark of indelible history of flourishing Himachal under Congress. The days to come will see a new breakthrough in development & welfare, and new benchmarks will be set for other states to emulate. #DevbhoomiWithCongresspic.twitter.com/ys6w5njhsk

Himachal Pradesh will go to polls on Thursday with traditional rivals, the Congress and the BJP locking horns in all 68 constituencies where 337 candidates including 62 MLAs are in the fray.

More than 50 lakh people will cast their votes for the election. The results will be announced 40 days later on 18 December.

File image of Virbhadra Singh. PTI

A party needs to win at least 35 seats to form government in Himachal Pradesh. According to NDTV in 2012, the Congress had won 36 seats while the BJP had won 26 seats.

At present, the Congress and the BJP have 35 and 28 MLAs respectively in the 68-member House besides four independents while one seat is vacant.

A total of 50,25,941 voters are eligible to cast their vote. As many as 7,525 polling booths have been set up in the state and 37,605 polling personnel have been deputed for poll duty.

The electoral contest in the State, according toThe Hindu, has been largely bipolar, with power alternating between the Congress and the BJP.

The ruling Congress led by the chief minister and the BJP led with former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal are contesting all 68 seats while the BSP is contesting 42 seats, followed by the CPM 14, Swabhiman Party and Lok Gathbandhan Party six each and the CPI 3.

The 12-days high-voltage campaign, which came to an end on Tusday, saw over 450 rallies by star campaigners of the BJP and the Congress including Prime minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah who addressed seven and six rallies respectively.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addressed three rallies.

Corruption was the main focus of the BJP campaign with the party training its guns at Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, while the Congress hit out at the BJP over the issue of GST and demonetisation.